Midwest
Nebraska lawmakers propose tax-funded school choice bill
Nebraska lawmakers are on track to pass a bill that would circumvent an upcoming ballot initiative in which voters could repeal a new state law that funds private school tuition with taxpayer money.
The bill from Omaha Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, the author of last year’s Opportunity Scholarships Act, advanced late Wednesday to a final round of debate, just a day after advancing from the first round of debate. It would change the way the private school scholarships, enacted last year, are funded.
The law passed last year by Nebraska’s officially nonpartisan Legislature did not appropriate taxpayer dollars directly to private school tuition. Instead, it allowed businesses and individuals to donate as much as $100,000 per year of their owed state income tax to nonprofit organizations that award private school tuition scholarships. Estates and trusts could donate as much as $1 million a year. That dollar-for-dollar tax credit is money that would otherwise go into the state’s general revenue fund.
NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE REJECTS TRUMP-APPROVED ‘WINNER-TAKE-ALL’ ELECTORAL SYSTEM BILL
The law triggered an immediate pushback from public school advocates who blasted the measure as a “school voucher scheme” that would hurt enrollment, and therefore funding, for public schools and would allow taxpayer dollars to go to private schools that are allowed under religious tenets to discriminate against LGBTQ+ students.
Those critics organized a petition drive to ask voters to repeal the law, and the drive collected far more signatures than needed to get the question on the November ballot.
Acknowledging that voters might reject the new law, Linehan, a Republican, is now pushing a bill that would directly fund the private school scholarships from state coffers, thereby rendering moot any vote on a repeal of last year’s law. The move drew renewed protests from opponents.
John Heineman delivers a box of petition signatures from Support Our Schools Nebraska to the Nebraska Secretary of State, Aug. 30, 2023, in Lincoln, Nebraska. Nebraska lawmakers are on track to pass a bill that would circumvent Nebraska voters who could repeal a new law that funds private school tuition with taxpayer money. (Justin Wan/Lincoln Journal Star via AP, File)
Jenni Benson, president of the state’s largest teachers union and a leader of the petition initiative, called Linehan’s new bill “a slap in the face to the 117,415 Nebraskans who signed the successful referendum petition to have voters decide the issue on the November ballot.”
Some lawmakers said Linehan’s new bill violates the Nebraska Constitution, which explicitly forbids the appropriation of public funds to nonpublic schools. Linehan countered that direct funding is allowed under a 1984 Nebraska Supreme Court ruling that allowed state funds to be used for scholarships at either public or private colleges.
“The voters deserve an opportunity to be heard on this,” Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh, a Democrat, said Tuesday during debate. “I disagree with the idea that we’re going to interject ourselves between the petition process and the voters before they have their opportunity to be heard.”
Wednesday night’s debate went much the way Tuesday’s had, with proponents of the bill saying their intent was to give students whose parents might not otherwise be able to afford it a choice to go to a private school if their public school is failing them. Opponents maintained that voters should get the right to decide if they want public dollars to be reserved for public schools.
“Let’s not do tricks to try to repeal bills once a referendum comes through,” said Sen. Wendy DeBoer, a Democrat, said Wednesday night. “Let’s let the people of Nebraska decide.”
Linehan’s effort to rejigger the bill has not been without struggle. She drastically lowered the amount allocated in last year’s measure using tax credits, which had allotted $25 million this year and in 2025, and up to $100 million annually thereafter to cover such donations. She dropped that amount to $10 million a year, with no escalation in the future, in an effort to secure more votes.
She got just enough votes to end a filibuster and advance the bill both Tuesday and Wednesday. It is likely to get enough votes to get through a final round of debate and pass before the end of the session’s last day on April 18.
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Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis Colts Select Ohio State Defensive End Caden Curry in Sixth Round of 2026 NFL Draft
Caden Curry is going home.
The Indianapolis Colts selected the Greenwood, Indiana, native with the No. 214 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL draft, making the former Ohio State defensive end the 10th Buckeye off the board in the 2026 NFL draft.
The Colts’ selection of Curry was years in the making, as Colts general manager Chris Ballard watched Curry play at Center Grove High School and actually called Ohio State coach Ryan Day to tell him the Buckeyes should recruit Curry.
When Caden Curry was a recruit at Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Indiana, Indianapolis Colts GM Chris Ballard called Ryan Day and said Man, have you seen this kid?
Today, Ballard and the Colts selected Curry with the No. 214 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. pic.twitter.com/wvmCUqAtoq
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 25, 2026
It’s the second year in a row Ohio State has had double-digit draft selections.
Curry is the third Ohio State defensive end selected in the last two NFL drafts, joining JT Tuimoloau – also drafted by the Colts with the No. 45 overall pick in last year’s draft – and Jack Sawyer (No. 123 overall, Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025). Curry is the second Ohio State defensive lineman to be selected in the 2026 NFL draft, joining defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, who the Houston Texans drafted in Round 2 (No. 36 overall).
Ohio State’s 2026 NFL Draft Picks
- Carnell Tate: Round 1, No. 4, Tennessee Titans
- Arvell Reese: Round 1, No. 5, New York Giants
- Sonny Styles: Round 1, No. 7, Washington Commanders
- Caleb Downs: Round 1, No. 11, Dallas Cowboys
- Kayden McDonald: Round 2, No. 36, Houston Texans
- Max Klare: Round 2, No. 61, Los Angeles Rams
- Davison Igbinosun: Round 2, No. 62, Buffalo Bills
- Will Kacmarek: Round 3, No. 87. Miami Dolphins
- Lorenzo Styles Jr.: Round 5, No. 172, New Orleans Saints
- Caden Curry: Round 6, No. 214, Indianapolis Colts
Curry spent three years learning behind Sawyer and Tuimoloau at defensive end to start his Ohio State career, though he carved out rotational roles in the Buckeyes’ defense in 2023 and 2024. In 2025, Curry got his chance to start and capitalized.
Curry racked up 66 tackles with 16.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks for Ohio State’s No. 1-ranked defense in 2025. His relentless motor, athleticism and savvy gave offensive tackles headaches throughout the year, as he recorded a team-high 46 total pressures of opposing quarterbacks, per Pro Football Focus.
The Buckeyes have now produced 12 total draft picks at defensive end since Larry Johnson took over as defensive line coach ahead of the 2014 season and 2015 NFL draft, with three top-three selections headlining the pack: Nick Bosa in 2019 (No. 2 overall, 49ers), Chase Young in 2020 (No. 2 overall, Commanders) and Joey Bosa in 2016 (No. 3 overall, Chargers).
Curry might not have had the measurables to be an early-round pick, but his production could make him a steal for the Colts in the later stages of the draft. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the conference’s media and second-team All-Big Ten by its coaches in 2025.
Curry is the 10th Buckeye selected in the 2026 draft, joining first-round selections Carnell Tate (No. 4 overall, Titans), Arvell Reese (No. 5, Giants), Sonny Styles (No. 7, Commanders) and Caleb Downs (No. 11, Cowboys), second-round selections McDonald, Max Klare (No. 61, Rams) and Davison Igbinosun (No. 62, Bills), third-round pick Will Kacmarek (No. 87, Dolphins) and fifth-round pick Lorenzo Styles Jr. (No. 172, Saints).
Curry is the seventh player from Ohio State’s 2025 defense to be selected in the 2026 NFL draft. Ohio State has now had 15 defensive players selected in the last two drafts.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A multiple-vehicle crash closed the intersection of West 150th and Lorain Avenue in Cleveland for hours Friday.
Cleveland police reported Saturday the cause of the crash was the driver of a stolen 2017 GMC Acadia speeding westbound on Lorain Avenue.
When 22-year-old driver of the stolen car approached Warren Road and West 150 intersection it changed lines and stroked two vehicles.
One of the two vehicles pushed into a fourth vehicle and the fourth vehicle traveled into the eastbound lane striking the fifth vehicle.
Witness Joe Barto, whose car was involved said he heard the impact and then watched vehicles lose control. “We heard car squealing, we heard sheet metal, cars banging off each other,” Barto said. “The next thing you know, cars are just spinning.”
The crash happened about 5:20 p.m., during the evening commute, leaving several people trying to understand what led up to it. Barto said he immediately ran to help. “I just got out of the car and started running over to the cars that were trying to get people out of cars,” Barto said. “I think I was just in shock.”
One person was reported trapped in a vehicle, but that patient had been removed before firefighters arrived, according to the Cleveland Fire Department.
As debris remained scattered across the roadway, another witness, Abdul Binsunni said he claimed to pull that person trapped from a vehicle before firefighters arrived. “I made sure to proceed to pull out the lady outside of this car right here.”
One man who asked not to be identified told 19 News he believes his car was stolen and ended up involved in the crash. Another bystander said her car was hit by what she believes was that stolen vehicle near West 131st Street. Those claims have not been confirmed by police.
Jim Missirlis said the aftermath was hard to take in. “Looking at the aftermath, looking at all the debris over here, it’s pretty sad,” Missirlis said.
Cleveland Fire and EMS officials say additional resources were requested to the scene. EMS has transported up to five patients to the Fairview Emergency Department, according to Cleveland Fire.
Officials say that the intersection reopened around 9:30 p.m.
As of Saturday, the suspect remains at the hospital but has been placed under arrest for aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular assault and grand theft of motor vehicle.
One of the drivers in the crash was a 54-year-old man and he transported to the hospital before being pronounced dead.
Once the suspect is medically cleared, he will be transported to the Cuyahoga County jail.
An investigation is being conducted by the Accident Investigative Unit.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
A donut shot in Gurnee, Illinois, was broken into overnight.
Gurnee Donuts owners posted on Facebook showing shattered glass in the doorway and on the sidewalk. “We are upset, but good,” owners said in the post.
In the post, owners said several other “neighbors were broken into.”
Owners said nothing of value was taken and the Gurnee Police Department are assisting.
Gurnee Donuts will remain open for businesses the door is boarded up.
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